Woman jumps into fire after taking hallucinogenic drugs

Update: A FRENCH tourist who attended Mushroom Valley Festival has been flown to Brisbane after suffering horrific burns to almost half of her body after cutting herself on barbed wire and jumping into a fire three times.

The 21-year-old, who had reportedly taken hallucinogenic drugs, wandered away from the festival to a nearby camp-site. It is understood she jumped into the fire three times before being returned to the festival by campers, where she received medical attention.

RACQ CQ Rescue arrived at the scene about 2.30am and landed in a clearing at the base of the hill, a couple of hundred metres from the ongoing festival. An RACQ CQ Rescue air crewman said flashing lights and the music were clearly visible from the air.

The injured woman was conscious as her blistering burns were wrapped and treated by paramedics and she was transferred by helicopter in a serious condition to the Mackay Base Hospital arriving at 3.45am.

A 21-year-old French tourist was airlifted to Mackay Base Hospital after falling into a fire.Jacob Miley

Mushroom Valley Festival organiser Ben Irving was made aware of the incident about 11pm, after the men who had been camping nearby brought the young woman back to the front gate.

Mr Irving said his festivals in the past have been incident free, saying there are more incidents in town on a Friday night.

About 1500 people turned out for the three-day festival. Mr Irving said the safety of festival goers was paramount and last night's incident was out of their control.

"We were presented with a situation and we dealt with it in the most professional manner that we could," he said.

"Accidents happen all the time and that was something that we couldn't have controlled.

"All we can do is create the safest space we can and have all the services that we can to keep people safe. It's still hard to control everybody and an incident like that, especially if they've left the festival."

Mr Irving said the festival had a strict no drug policy.

"We try and educate people as much about it as we can, but we don't encourage it (drugs) all all. We know it happens at most music festivals, but we have a strict no drug policy. If we see it happening we stop it."

The woman was transferred to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital this morning in a serious but stable condition.

Earlier: A WOMAN has suffered burns to almost half of her body after she fell into a fire while camping overnight.

Queensland Ambulance Service were called to Cathu Forest Rd at Yalboroo about 1.20am, nearby to where the Mushroom Valley Festival was being held.

The woman in her 20s suffered burns to about 40% burns to her body on her back, feet, hands and legs.